Wiping devices of the type in question have been known for decades, and are colloquially referred to as floor wiping elements (DE 29 14 230 A1). Such a wiping device has in the first place a wiping element holder on which a handle socket is mounted, generally via a cardan joint, so that it can swivel in all directions, and in which a more or less long handle can be inserted. The wiping element holder itself is designed as a generally longitudinally extending rectangular plate or as a correspondingly longitudinally extending rectangular wire frame, optionally with an attachment plate (DE 29 14 230 A1; from the known prior art). The term “longitudinally extending rectangular” also includes in this connection shapes that in plan view deviate slightly from an exact rectangular shape, in particular a trapezoidal shape.
In addition to wiping element holders with a fixed holder or with a fixed wire frame, there have also been known for decades (DE 29 14 230 A1) wiping element holders with a plate or a wire frame that can fold approximately in the middle, and provided with corresponding actuation means.
A wiping element consisting of textile or textile-like material and adapted to the wiping element holder, generally referred to as a flat wiping element, is secured to the latter. This fixing can of course be released since the wiping element has to be squeezed out and/or washed from time to time.
For purposes of fixing to the wiping element holder, the wiping element according to the prior art has in each case on the side facing the wiping element holder and in the vicinity of the narrow sides a fixing element in the form of a securing pocket stitched on three sides. In the case of wiping element holders with a fixed plate or wire frame the insert pockets consist of elastically stretchable material so that they can be sufficiently stretched when pulled over the relevant end of the wiping element holder. In some cases one of the insert pockets is also slit over a more or less long section so as to facilitate the attachment of the wiping element to the wiping element holder.
The wiping element can be attached more easily to the wiping element holder in the case of wiping element holders having a foldable plate or wire frame ((DE 29 14 230 A1). In the folded, i.e. shortened state, the wiping element holder fits between the two insert pockets. By pressing on the folded wiping element holder the latter is brought into the inclined position, whereupon the ends slide into the insert pockets. The wiping element holder is now locked in the extended position and the wiping device can then be used as intended. With such quick-change devices the insert pockets are as a general rule not made of an elastically stretchable material. Often the insert pockets are made of the same or a similar material as the basic fabric of the wiping element itself.
The flat wiping elements widely used in practice with insert pockets stitched on three sides are complicated to manufacture and require expensive production equipment. A common complaint in practice is that the insert pockets become full of water when the wiping elements are rinsed out and the wiping element therefore cannot be adequately dried. Finally, the insert pockets are not part of the cleaning-active mass of the wiping element, although they account for between 7% and 12% of the total weight of the wiping element. Accordingly, 7% to 12% of the material costs of a commercially available flat wiping element with insert pockets are wasted as regards the cleaning function. The same also applies to the costs incurred in washing the wiping elements.
In general it has to be remembered that such wiping elements are widely employed for multifarious purposes in professional use, where business operating margins are low and thus any cost savings are welcomed.
Attempts have already been made to obviate the aforedescribed known disadvantages of wiping elements with insert pockets sewn at the ends, by providing the lower side of the wiping element holder and the upper side of the wiping element with Velcro-type locking elements (DE 22 29 824 AI). These wiping devices have not been widely adopted in practice since, quite apart from the fact that they are complicated and costly to produce, above all the removal of the wiping element necessitates a procedure that can only be performed manually, namely the detachment of the wiping element from the wiping element holder. In contrast to this, particularly when using quick-change holders with a foldable plate or foldable wire frame, in the case of wiping elements provided with insert pockets at the end the dirty wiping element can be removed without the wiping element actually having to be handled.